This fall, with the leaves beginning to change here in Chicago, I had a chance to spend time with a friend whose work in the city resonates deeply with my own love for plants and community. Maru, founder of Monarch Beauty Farm, has a unique approach to urban gardening, transforming neglected parkway strips into vibrant green spaces.

Spending time in one of these parkways, surrounded by blooms and watching the bees at work, I couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of connection—to nature, to our city, and to those who care about making it more livable.

A pollinator rests on Tithonia rotundifolia, also known as a Mexican sunflower plant.
 

The Art of Tending to the Earth

Maru’s approach to her work is as practical as it is inspiring. When I visited, she showed me how she prepares her beds with a focus on soil health. Hearing how she tends to the earth with such intention reminded me of the ways we can all nurture our communities. She prioritizes sustainable practices, like building up the soil with compost, rotating her plantings, and choosing flowers that are suited to our climate here in Chicago. Each small action is part of a bigger picture, creating spaces that not only look beautiful but support life in meaningful ways.

Maru and James discuss sustainable flower farming while touring a parkway garden in Chicago.

Planting with Purpose

Maru’s urban flower farm is a labor of love, and I think it’s the perfect example of regenerative gardening. She’s not just maintaining these spaces; she’s actively improving them. Every year, she adds a new layer of life, whether it’s through the colorful bulbs and tubers she’ll plant now for spring or the perennial wildflowers that will bloom for years to come. Maru’s gardens are little ecosystems all their own, attracting pollinators and bringing a spark of joy to anyone who passes by.

Her work resonates with me because it’s about more than just growing flowers—it’s about cultivating joy, beauty, and community. In the middle of a bustling city, these parkway gardens offer a moment of peace and a reminder that nature is right here, wherever we make room for it. Seeing the way Maru dedicates herself to this work inspires me to keep finding new ways to bring green spaces to our urban environment.

Maru explains how building soil health is one of her top priorities when flower farming in urban spaces.

Finding Connection Through Gardening

In our latest YouTube video, you’ll get to see one of these transformed parkways for yourself. Maru and I talk about what inspires us to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty, and we share ideas for anyone looking to start a similar project. For Maru, flower farming isn’t just about pretty plants—it’s about creating places where life can grow and thrive. As we dig into the soil together, I’m reminded that this work is about connection: to the earth, to our neighbors, and to a shared vision of what our community can become.

This fall, I hope you find ways to nurture your own little piece of the earth. Whether it’s a few bulbs tucked into a planter or a new wildflower bed on a patch of land you’ve adopted, let’s continue to plant joy together.

With each seed we sow, we bring a little more life, color, and hope into the world.

With gratitude,
James 🌿